COPD decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further medical opinions regarding his claimed conditions. The claims are related to in-service noise exposure, burning diesel fuel, gas chamber training, cold weather exposure, and handling heavy equipment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD, residuals of a back injury, and a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss. The decision concluded that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for service-connected bullous emphysematous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to the FEV-1 test results not meeting the criteria for a compensable rating.

Service connection for asthma is granted, and disability ratings are granted for left shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis, right knee meniscal condition, and right knee instability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current COPD is related to his in-service aggravation of pneumonia, and service connection for COPD is granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's COPD may be related to her active service, but needs additional evidence and a medical opinion to make this determination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus has been reopened due to new evidence. The claims for diabetic neuropathy and sleep apnea with COPD are being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the diabetes mellitus claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a noninitial compensable disability rating for his service-connected residuals of pneumonia and TDIU based on this condition, finding that his current respiratory conditions are more likely due to nonservice-connected COPD with an asthmatic component.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an eye disability, hepatitis C, COPD, AAA, and PVD have been denied. The issues of service connection for a bilateral ear injury and peripheral vascular disease of the right and left lower extremities remain pending and are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by the Veteran's service-connected interstitial lung disease/asbestosis.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. Other claims for service connection are remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because he does not have any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and his claims for service connection for renal cancer and COPD were denied. The Board found that the VA treatment did not contribute to the Veteran’s death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for pulmonary disorder and sleep disorder other than sleep apnea due to additional development being required. The issues are related to service connection, with exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan considered.

The Board denied service connection for lung disability, including asbestosis, due to lack of evidence showing a disease resulting from asbestos exposure during military service.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's current COPD is related to his presumed in-service herbicide exposure and whether any of his respiratory disorders are related to in-service asbestos exposure. The case will be reviewed based on these new opinions.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for sleep apnea and COPD with left pleural reaction and bronchial asthma is dismissed. The Veteran's seborrheic eczema remains at a 60 percent rating.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's use of tobacco products after service was caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and if so, whether it at least as likely as not that the COPD would have occurred without the use of tobacco products.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Appellant is not entitled to DIC or accrued benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.